Bound to Happen
by darkmousey
Summary: [Oneshot][angst to fluff] In the end, she had always known it was bound to happen.


Disclaimer: All characters within this fic belong to their original creator and anyone else who decided they wanted to own Inuyasha.

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**Bound to Happen**

In the end…she had always known it was bound to happen.

Because she had finally found happiness.

Because she was a walking tragedy.

Because she belonged five hundred years in the future.

Because he belonged five hundred years in the past.

Because no one could live that long.

Because she had fallen in love with him.

Because…maybe, just maybe, he had loved her back.

In the end, she knew it was bound to happen.

Because she had finally found happiness.

And happiness is such a fleeting thing.

She had no idea how she could have ever fallen in love with such a man. So violent, with no care for other people. So different than the kind of man she had always envisioned: determined, debonair, and delectable, and always there to meet her with a smile. No, her picture of the perfect man was but a dream.

Although…she supposed she could give him one thing she learned from their first meeting: he was definitely determined—determined to kill her that is! And he wasn't about to apologize for it. Jerk!

But for all that he was a jerk, she did have to agree that he was rather delectable as well, with his beautiful golden-amber eyes, and silver hair that shone like the moon. She knew from the first time she saw him that he belonged in the night, his bold features accented by lunar light and sparkling stars—or dusk, when just the tiniest bit of the sun remained to grace the earth and the colors of the sunset were deep blues and purples.

Nevertheless, she knew that for a long time after their first meeting that he hated her for reasons she couldn't possibly help. But it hurt to be hated for past transgressions, to be blamed for someone else's mistakes, to be seen as someone else.

But then…That night came. That wonderful, almost magical, night which she had come to view amusedly as their first date. She was returning from her time when she saw him, sitting there on a branch of the goshinboku. One leg was bent, resting on the branch, the other carelessly hanging, a slight swinging of this leg his only movement as he stared—sadly, she had thought at the time—into the night sky.

In such a contemplative state was he that she had been surprised when he answered her questions. Questions eventually led to a conversation which lasted until she fell asleep hours later, perfectly content in his company, feeling protected by his mere presence. They were drawn to this place again and again. It was here where they were able to let down their guards and just talk.

Speak and listen.

Teach and be taught.

She spoke of her time, of the great advances made, and the history in between now and then.

He spoke to her of survival, of the many youkai he had battled, of the stars.

She came to learn what even his slightest mannerism meant.

He came to learn how to push her buttons. And boy, did he love to push them.

She wondered when it was during all of this when she fell in like, and then in love with him. Or perhaps it had always been there…lust at first sight and all of that, despite her near death experience.

Things changed. Four more came to accompany the shard hunters, but they continued to meet at the goshinboku. Eventually, during the journey, they would meet somewhere out of sight and hearing of the others. Eventually, they had two amber-eyed, silver-haired, delectable and determined males in their group. And although there were some rough spots in the beginning, she was able to smooth over each hitch with a word and tact.

And it was all worth it when she and the two brothers were able to defeat the evil hanyou by attacking simultaneously. And then the wind witch and void were set free and there were no casualties on their side, and the taiyoukai was able to return the young taijiya boy's life. And the shikon was returned to her body.

And she was still there. She cried laughing, so happy she wouldn't be separated from her love, but sad to know that she would never again see her family, because she knew she belonged with him, and was far too afraid to use the well, to lose her love. And they began to be more open with their relationship, and her friends were all supportive, and it soon was the anniversary of her most memorable day…

_Not that it matters now,_ she thought morosely as she looked up to the ceiling of the dark shed wherein lay the well she was currently sitting in. _In the back of my mind, I always knew this was bound to happen. We're from two totally different times. And happiness is such a fleeting thing._

That was when she began to feel numb. Even as a splinter was driven into her palm, she just stared at it, welcoming the physical pain while pushing back the emotional. Blood slowly pooled, then began a wandering path down her forearm before collecting at her elbow and falling to the dirt below. Soon, in the quiet darkness, she could hear an almost nonexistent _drip, drip, drip_ping sound.

"Really, Kagome, even in this time you get needlessly injured without me to protect you."

Arrogant.

Self-possessed.

Conceited.

She knew that voice.

_But_, she argued, _even with his youkai blood, he couldn't possibly live this long…Could he?_

"Don't worry, I'll rescue you, my sweet miko." And with that, he retrieved her from the bottom of the dry well, bringing her to the door where a crack of light shone through, allowing him to view her palm. "Well, we can't have all that blood marring your skin." That was when he kissed her sweetly, passionately, while she was still in shock at the realization that he was still alive, and before she knew it, the sharp piece of wood was out and he was slowly licking the blood away from her elbow to her palm, sending shivers down her spine.

Yes, it was definitely him.

"Thank you," she said through her embarrassment, knowing she was probably blushing down to her chest, as he had pointed out before in the past. Her mind was taken away from those thoughts however as he opened the door and she, for the first time, saw him in modern clothes.

He was wearing a business suit which most likely had more zeros on the price tag than she'd ever be willing to pay, but fit his personality just as had his hakama and haori she was so used to seeing him in. His silver hair, still long but styled into a braid, swayed in the breeze. His amber gaze remained the same. If she looked closely, she could see the faint outline of a sword on his left hip, and Mokomoko-sama on his right shoulder. _Perhaps an illusion spell_, she thought, still staring.

She knew her blush deepened.

His lips twitched into the small, arrogant smile she had become acquainted with time and time again.

He held out his arms and she walked into them, greeted by his lips. When they parted, those lips moved into a lazy smile.

"Happy birthday, Kagome."

She smiled softly, still in his embrace. "How did you know?"

"I've waited a long time for you to grow up. Twenty years and five centuries."

"I'm sorry for making you wait so long," she said, partly honest, partly sarcastic.

"I know. You will make it up to me," he said matter-of-factly.

Kagome rolled her eyes and smiled. She knew it was just his way. He walked her to the goshinboku and sat her in his lap as he leaned against the massive trunk. They sat there for a while in silence, content to simply be in each other's company.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hm."

"I love you."

"I know," he said haughtily, "Just as you know I love you."

"Oh, that sounds so wonderful. Say it again."

He smirked. "I don't know, sweet miko. I don't want you spoiled."

"But it's my birthday, you jerk," she said affectionately.

"Very well, miko, I shall indulge you." He paused, taking in her calming scent. "I love you, my dearest Kagome. Now and forever."

She smiled blissfully and snuggled into him, her determined, debonair, delectable taiyoukai who, despite his arrogance and stoicism, always met her with a smile.

There would be questions later, she knew. And the questions would lead to conversation, and perhaps to loving touches on a soft mattress.

But, for now, they were both content to rest beneath the goshinboku as the breeze whispered through the leaves a soft lullaby for reunited lovers.

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AN: Wow, this just came flying at me out of nowhere and I had to get it down on paper. I'm very happy with how it turned out. It's my first one-shot, so constructive criticism is definitely welcome. 

Oh, and in case people were wondering…

The woman Kagome is "mistaken" for at the beginning is Izayoi (Inu's mother).

The "anniversary" referred to is Kagome's birthday, as her birthday is also the anniversary of the day she fell down the well.

Mokomoko-sama: This is what Rumiko Takahashi referred to The Fluff as in an interview.

Thank you, everyone, for reading. I hope you all enjoyed it.


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